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Minnesota's May unemployment climbs to 5.4 percent

(AP) - Minnesota's unemployment rate climbed to 5.4
percent in May as a result of losing 12,000 jobs the month before,
a state agency reported on Thursday.

The unemployment rate was a sharp jump from the 4.8 percent
jobless rate in April. In May 2007 it was 4.6 percent.

The national unemployment rate for May was 5.5 percent.

"Although the economy continues to present challenges,
Minnesota is performing better in many sectors than the country as
a whole," said Department of Employment and Economic Development
Commissioner Dan McElroy.

Minnesota added 1,700 jobs in May, a tiny uptick in an economy
with about 2.8 million jobs. The number of jobs rose even though
the unemployment rate rose because they're measured differently.

Around the state, employment in the Twin Cities area grew 0.4
percent, Duluth-Superior jobs grew 0.3 percent, Rochester grew 1.2
percent, St. Cloud and the Fargo Moorhead areas each grew 1
percent, and the Grand Forks area grew 2.2 percent.

Minnesota added 3,200 leisure and hospitality jobs and 2,300
government jobs in May. It lost 2,300 jobs in professional and
business services and 2,100 in manufacturing.